Prevalence of Cytauxzoon Felis Infection in Healthy Cats from Enzootic Areas in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

Overview

Journal Parasit Vectors

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Parasitology
Tropical Medicine

Date 2015 Jan 9

PMID 25566776

Citations 34

Authors

Theresa E Rizzi

Mason V Reichard

Leah A Cohn

Adam J Birkenheuer

Jared D Taylor

James H Meinkoth

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Infection with Cytauxzoon felis in domestic cats can cause fever, lethargy, depression, inappetence, icterus, and often death. With a high mortality rate, cytauxzoonosis was historically considered a fatal disease. Within the last 15 years, cats with or without treatment have been recognized as chronically infected survivors of C. felis infection. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of C. felis in healthy domestic cats from Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Methods: Infection with C. felis was determined using DNA extracted from anticoagulated whole blood and PCR amplification using C. felis-specific primers. Chi-square, Fisher's exact tests, and odds ratios were used to compare proportions of cats infected with C. felis.

Results: Blood samples were collected from 902 healthy domestic cats between October 2008 and April 2012. DNA from Cytauxzoon felis was detected in 56 of 902 (6.2%; 95% confidence interval, 4.7-7.9) samples. The highest prevalence of C. felis infection (15.5%; 10.3-21.7) was observed in cats from Arkansas, followed by cats from Missouri (12.9%; 6.1-24.0), and cats from Oklahoma (3.4%; 2.2-5.1). Cats sampled in Arkansas and Missouri were 5.1 and 4.2, respectively, times more likely to be chronically infected with C. felis than cats from Oklahoma.

Conclusions: Infection with C. felis is common in domestic cats through Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The high prevalence of C. felis reported herein suggests that infected domestic cats are likely reservoirs of infection for naive felines. The high prevalence of C. felis substantiates the importance for the use of approved acaricides on cats to prevent cytauxzoonosis.

Citing Articles

The Establishment of a Novel In Vitro System for Culturing .

Weerarathne P, Reichard M, Miller C, Scimeca R Pathogens. 2024; 13(7).

PMID: 39057792 PMC: 11279574. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13070565.

Cytauxzoonosis in Indiana, USA: a case series of cats infected with (2018-2022).

Reichard M, Cotey S, Dangoudoubiyam S, Weerarathne P, Tussey K, Wilkes R J Feline Med Surg. 2024; 26(5):1098612X231224139.

PMID: 38695724 PMC: 11156240. DOI: 10.1177/1098612X231224139.

Can Domestic Cats Act as Reservoirs of ?.

Diaz-Sanchez A, Cabezas-Cruz A Pathogens. 2023; 12(2).

PMID: 36839538 PMC: 9967219. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020266.

: An Overview.

Wikander Y, Reif K Pathogens. 2023; 12(1).

PMID: 36678481 PMC: 9860807. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010133.

Clinicopathological findings and risk factors associated with spp. infection in cats: A case-control study (2008-2021).

Carli E, Solano-Gallego L, De Arcangeli S, Ventura L, Ligorio E, Furlanello T Front Vet Sci. 2022; 9:976173.

PMID: 36439359 PMC: 9685617. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.976173.

References

Birkenheuer A, Le J, Valenzisi A, Tucker M, Levy M, Breitschwerdt E . Cytauxzoon felis infection in cats in the mid-Atlantic states: 34 cases (1998-2004). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006; 228(4):568-71. DOI: 10.2460/javma.228.4.568. View

Jackson C, Fisher T . Fatal cytauxzoonosis in a Kentucky cat (Felis domesticus). Vet Parasitol. 2006; 139(1-3):192-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.02.039. View

Haber M, Tucker M, Marr H, Levy J, Burgess J, Lappin M . The detection of Cytauxzoon felis in apparently healthy free-roaming cats in the USA. Vet Parasitol. 2007; 146(3-4):316-20. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.02.029. View

Harvey J, Dunbar M, Norton T, Yabsley M . Laboratory findings in acute Cytauxzoon felis infection in cougars (Puma concolor couguar) in Florida. J Zoo Wildl Med. 2007; 38(2):285-91. DOI: 10.1638/1042-7260(2007)038[0285:LFIACF]2.0.CO;2. View

Reichard M, Baum K, Cadenhead S, Snider T . Temporal occurrence and environmental risk factors associated with cytauxzoonosis in domestic cats. Vet Parasitol. 2008; 152(3-4):314-20. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.12.031. View

Birkenheuer A, Marr H, Warren C, Acton A, Mucker E, Humphreys J . Cytauxzoon felis infections are present in bobcats (Lynx rufus) in a region where cytauxzoonosis is not recognized in domestic cats. Vet Parasitol. 2008; 153(1-2):126-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.01.020. View

Brown H, Latimer K, Erikson L, Cashwell M, Britt J, Peterson D . Detection of persistent Cytauxzoon felis infection by polymerase chain reaction in three asymptomatic domestic cats. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2008; 20(4):485-8. DOI: 10.1177/104063870802000411. View

Brown H, Berghaus R, Latimer K, Britt J, Rakich P, Peterson D . Genetic variability of Cytauxzoon felis from 88 infected domestic cats in Arkansas and Georgia. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2009; 21(1):59-63. DOI: 10.1177/104063870902100109. View

Reichard M, Meinkoth J, Edwards A, Snider T, Kocan K, Blouin E . Transmission of Cytauxzoon felis to a domestic cat by Amblyomma americanum. Vet Parasitol. 2009; 161(1-2):110-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.12.016. View

10.

Brown H, Lockhart J, Latimer K, Peterson D . Identification and genetic characterization of Cytauxzoon felis in asymptomatic domestic cats and bobcats. Vet Parasitol. 2010; 172(3-4):311-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.04.041. View

11.

Reichard M, Edwards A, Meinkoth J, Snider T, Meinkoth K, Heinz R . Confirmation of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) as a vector for Cytauxzoon felis (Piroplasmorida: Theileriidae) to domestic cats. J Med Entomol. 2010; 47(5):890-6. DOI: 10.1603/me10013. View

12.

Rozsa L, Reiczigel J, Majoros G . Quantifying parasites in samples of hosts. J Parasitol. 2000; 86(2):228-32. DOI: 10.1645/0022-3395(2000)086[0228:QPISOH]2.0.CO;2. View

13.

Meinkoth J, Kocan A, Whitworth L, Murphy G, Fox J, Woods J . Cats surviving natural infection with Cytauxzoon felis: 18 cases (1997-1998). J Vet Intern Med. 2000; 14(5):521-5. DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2000)014<0521:csniwf>2.3.co;2. View

14.

Childs J, Paddock C . The ascendancy of Amblyomma americanum as a vector of pathogens affecting humans in the United States. Annu Rev Entomol. 2002; 48:307-37. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ento.48.091801.112728. View

15.

Reiczigel J . Confidence intervals for the binomial parameter: some new considerations. Stat Med. 2003; 22(4):611-21. DOI: 10.1002/sim.1320. View

16.

Birkenheuer A, Levy M, Breitschwerdt E . Development and evaluation of a seminested PCR for detection and differentiation of Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype) and B. canis DNA in canine blood samples. J Clin Microbiol. 2003; 41(9):4172-7. PMC: 193857. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.9.4172-4177.2003. View

17.

Wagner J . A fatal cytauxzoonosis-like disease in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1976; 168(7):585-8. View

18.

Kier A, Wagner J, MOREHOUSE L . Experimental transmission of Cytauxzoon felis from bobcats (Lynx rufus) to domestic cats (Felis domesticus). Am J Vet Res. 1982; 43(1):97-101. View

19.

Hauck W, Snider 3rd T, Lawrence J . Cytauxzoonosis in a native Louisiana cat. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1982; 180(12):1472-4. View

20.

Glenn B, Rolley R, Kocan A . Cytauxzoon-like piroplasms in erythrocytes of wild-trapped bobcats in Oklahoma. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1982; 181(11):1251-3. View